First there was civil war from 1977 to 1992, followed by years of disarray, then the full force of Cyclone Idai ravaged Mozambique during March 2019. Now things are on the up and up for this excellent southern African safari destination.
Here’s what makes Gorongoza National Park so unique.
Animal Uprising
Years of poaching and warfare have taken their toll on the elephant population of Gorongoza, reducing their numbers from 4 000 animals to almost none. Today, just over 650 elephants roam this 377 000 hectare park in Mozambique’s Great Rift Valley.
What’s more, their perception of humans is changing. They’re becoming more tolerant of their human onlookers, instead of running from or charging at them A they did before. The elephants of Gorongoza are a true credit to the resilience and adaptability of their species and a shining example of what patience and careful conservation can do.
The wild dogs of Gorongoza are long gone, thanks to the country’s dark history, but in their place, you’ll find a new pack of 14 South African wild dogs, introduced in 2018, thanks to ongoing conservation collaborations between the two countries.
Likewise, the park now boasts thriving populations of African buffalo, lions, hippos, and wildebeests too. Hope has replaced the despair which once overshadowed every inch of Gorongoza National Park.
Who’s Driving the Change?
These successes are largely due to the efforts of the Gorongoza Restoration Project, launched in 2004. This partnership between the Mozambican government and the US-based Gregory C Carr Foundation has been instrumental in restoring this national treasure to its former glory.
Now, the matriarch of each elephant herd is collared and tracked. In this way, conservationists can warn neighbouring farmers when these voracious animals are approaching, giving them time to prepare. By working with the locals, the Project has been able to educate them about the importance of conserving wildlife.
Working Together
They’ve opened schools and clinics and are showing the farmers sustainable ways to thrive in harmony with nature. In return, the locals are planting trees, helping to repair the landscape they once ravaged as their only means of income.
‘Model mom’ volunteers are hard at work teaching local communities how to embrace this new way of living, and training others to take over the reins in their absence.
Poaching patrols, made up of local men, sweep the area with alarming regularity, keeping poachers at bay, and helicopter surveys take a tally of large animal populations every six months. The people know that someone is taking charge, that there’s a plan to restore and revitalize everything that was taken away – and the plan’s working.
Onward and Upward
Bit by bit, the Project intends to expand their efforts until Gorongoza National Park encompasses a conservation area that stretches from the mountains to the mangroves lining the Mozambican shore.
If you’d like to be one of the first to experience Mozambique rising from the ashes, get in touch to book your wildlife or island escape with us.
